Desktop folding sheet dispenser

Abstract

A dispenser for dispensing sheet material includes: a body (1) having four sidewalls (2, 3, 4, 5); a base (6); an opening (7) in the top of the body (1); a cover (8) for covering the opening (7) in use and allowing access to the opening (7) for refilling, wherein the cover (8) has a dispensing opening (9) for dispensing sheet material from the dispensing opening (9); a platform (10) for supporting multiple sheets of material from below, wherein the platform (10) is movable from a lowermost position when the dispenser is filled with sheet material to an uppermost position adjacent to the cover (8) when the dispenser is closer to emptying the sheet material; a biasing device (11) for pushing the platform (10) toward the cover (8); and a releasable locking mechanism for holding the platform (10) in a locked position at the lowermost position, the releasable locking mechanism including: a first arm (12) movably attached to one of the sidewalls (2, 3, 4, 5). And extending in a direction from the top of the body (1) toward the base (6) of the body (1), wherein the first arm (12) has a top end (13) and a base end (14); a second arm (15), which is movably attached to the base (6) and extends in a direction from the sidewall to which the first arm (12) is attached toward the center of the base (6), wherein the second arm (15) has a sidewall end (16) and a locking end (17), the sidewall end (16) being configured to be connected to the base of the first arm (12). The end (14) engages such that movement of the first arm (12) causes movement of the second arm (15), and the locking end (17) is configured to releasably interlock with the locking part (18) arranged on the platform (10), thereby holding the platform (10) in the locked position, wherein the cover (8) has a joint (19) on its lower surface, the joint (19) being configured to engage with the top end (13) of the first arm (12) when the cover (8) is closed, thereby releasing the platform (10) from the locked position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a dispenser for dispensing sheet materials, particularly toilet paper sheet materials, such as hand towels, paper napkins, face towels, or other wiping materials in sheet form. More particularly, this disclosure relates to a desktop folding sheet dispenser. Background Technology

[0002] The sheet materials are generally stacked and housed in a dispenser. Individual sheet materials can be folded. By staggering the folding of the consecutive sheet materials, folded sheet materials can be continuously dispensed from the dispenser.

[0003] The sheet material can be a napkin. In this context, a staggered folded napkin can be used. A staggered folded napkin is a stack of sheets of material arranged in a stacked manner, each sheet being folded at least once. The sheets are interconnected in such a way that the individually folded sheets form a sheet chain, wherein each sheet has a head end panel and a tail end panel, the tail end panel overlapping at least partially with the head end panel of a subsequent sheet in the stack. In this way, the individual sheets are loosely held together by means of frictional forces arising between the overlapping portions. The sheet can be dispensed from the dispenser by pulling on the head end panel of the first sheet in the stack (the head end sheet). In this way, the first sheet is extracted while a predetermined portion of the head end panel of a subsequent sheet is supplied to a dispensing position in the dispenser.

[0004] In many conventional dispenser types, a stack of sheet material contained within the dispenser is pushed toward the dispensing opening. One type of such dispenser is the tabletop dispenser. A tabletop dispenser can be placed on top of a table, such as a table in a restaurant, and individual sheets of material, such as napkins, are pulled from the top of the stack of sheet material. In a tabletop dispenser, the stack of sheet material is typically supported from below by a movable platform, which is pushed upward toward the dispensing opening by means of a spring or similar device positioned beneath the platform.

[0005] To load an empty desktop dispenser with this platform, the user removes or opens the dispenser's cover with the dispensing opening, places a stack of sheet material on the platform, and pushes the stack (along with the platform) downwards into the dispenser, thus overcoming a force exerted by a spring. To allow for easy closing of the cover and prevent the spring from ejecting the stack of sheet material, the platform is held in its lower position within the dispenser by means of a locking mechanism provided within the dispenser. The locking mechanism is releasable, so that once the cover is closed, the stack of sheet material is again pushed toward the dispensing opening.

[0006] The problem with this dispenser is that the platform is not always held horizontally parallel to the table by the locking mechanism, but rather tilted. Consequently, the stack of sheet material tilts to one side instead of being upright. In this situation, when the locking mechanism is released, the stack of sheet material is pushed upwards toward the dispensing opening, not in the upright direction, but in the tilted direction. This not only makes the leading edge of the sheet material less easily graspable from the dispensing opening, but also results in an uneven force distribution across the stack of sheet material, making it difficult to extract individual sheets.

[0007] Therefore, the locking mechanism needs to be improved. However, this is challenging because the locking mechanism must be designed in a way that does not interfere with the sheet material, while at the same time, the space available for the sheet material should not be reduced and the overall size of the dispenser should not be excessively increased. Summary of the Invention

[0008] Therefore, the object of this disclosure is to provide a dispenser, particularly a desktop dispenser, that can easily extract individual sheets while maintaining available space for the sheets.

[0009] The above-mentioned problem is solved by the dispenser according to claim 1. Preferred embodiments are set forth in the dependent claims.

[0010] According to one aspect, a dispenser for dispensing sheet material includes: a body having four sidewalls; a base, for example, for resting on a support surface; an opening in the top of the body; a cover for covering the opening in use and enabling access to the opening for refilling, wherein the cover may be removable for accessing the opening, or alternatively, wherein the cover may be movably attached to at least one of the sidewalls and may be sized to cover the opening, wherein the cover has a dispensing opening so that sheet material can be dispensed from the dispensing opening; a platform for supporting a plurality of sheet materials from below, wherein the platform is movable from a lowermost position when the dispenser is filled with sheet material to an uppermost position when the dispenser is closer to emptying the sheet material; a biasing device for pushing the platform toward the cover; and a releasable locking mechanism for holding the platform in a locked position in the lowermost position. The releasable locking mechanism includes: a first arm movably attached to one of the sidewalls and extending in a direction from the top of the body toward the base of the body, wherein the first arm has a top end and a base end; a second arm movably attached to the base and extending in a direction from the sidewall to which the first arm is attached toward the center of the base, wherein the second arm has a sidewall end and a locking end, the sidewall end being configured to engage with the base end of the first arm such that movement of the first arm causes movement of the second arm, the locking end being configured to releasably interlock with a locking portion disposed on the platform, thereby holding the platform in a locked position, wherein the cover has an engagement portion on its lower surface, the engagement portion being configured to engage with the top end of the first arm when the cover is closed, thereby releasing the platform from the locked position.

[0011] Because the releasable locking mechanism includes a first arm movably attached to one of the sidewalls and extending in a direction from the top of the body toward the base of the body, and a second arm movably attached to the base and extending in a direction from the sidewall to which the first arm is attached toward the center of the base, the locking mechanism extends along the walls and base portion of the dispenser, thus not occupying the internal space of the dispenser intended for sheet material. As a result, space available in the dispenser for stacking sheet material can be maintained. Furthermore, because the second arm extends toward the center of the base, where the locking end of the second arm interlocks with a locking part arranged on the platform, a locking connection is established between the second arm and the platform in the central region of the platform, thereby holding the platform in the locked position in a horizontal orientation. In this context, "horizontal orientation" can mean that the platform is oriented parallel to the base of the dispenser. If the dispenser is placed on a table, "horizontal orientation" can also imply that the platform is oriented parallel to the table. As a result, when the locking mechanism is released, the platform with the stack of sheet material placed thereon is pushed toward the dispensing opening in an upright orientation, that is, the stack of sheet material is pushed toward the dispensing opening in a generally vertical direction relative to the base (and the table). Therefore, this construction makes it easy to extract individual sheet materials from the dispenser.

[0012] In contrast, in existing dispensers, the platform is held in a locked position at one edge by a locking mechanism. Since the biasing device for pushing the platform toward the lid is typically located in the central area of ​​the platform, this results in a tilted orientation of the platform in the locked position. Consequently, the stack of sheet material is pushed toward the dispensing opening at an angle rather than an upright orientation, leading to the aforementioned problem.

[0013] The lid can be movably attached to at least one of the sidewalls by means of one or more hinges or the like. It is also conceivable that the lid is attached to two of the sidewalls. Therefore, the lid can be permanently attached to the body of the dispenser and can be tilted from an open refill position to a closed use position. This arrangement ensures that the lid can be easily and reliably closed and opened relative to the body of the dispenser.

[0014] Alternatively, the lid can be configured to be reversibly removable from and reversibly attachable to the body. In other words, the lid can be temporarily removed from and reattached to the dispenser body. This allows for easier refilling of the dispenser, as the lid can be temporarily set aside.

[0015] The dispensing opening in the lid can be formed as a groove, as is known from prior art dispensers.

[0016] The dispensing opening in the lid opens to the top of the dispenser, and the dispenser rests on the support surface via its base. Therefore, when the dispenser rests on the support surface via its base, sheet material can be dispensed in a vertical direction.

[0017] However, it is also possible to arrange the described desktop dispenser in an upright / flipped position, that is, in a position where the base extends vertically and the dispenser rests on one of the four side walls. Therefore, the cover opposite the base of the dispenser can also extend vertically, allowing sheet material to be dispensed horizontally via the cover.

[0018] Therefore, at least one of the base and / or sidewalls may include anti-slip protection to ensure the dispenser is fixed in position when placed on the base or one of the sidewalls.

[0019] The lowest position of the platform can be defined as the position where the platform is held in the locked position by the locking end of the second arm interlocking with the locking part of the platform. As the biasing device pushes the stack of sheet material toward the dispensing opening, the stack of sheet material can contact the inner surface of the lid. When the sheet material is removed, the height of the stack decreases, causing the platform to move upwards. Once the stack of sheet material consists of only a very small number of sheets, such as one to five individual sheets, the platform can be positioned at the uppermost position adjacent to the lid, in which the upper surface of the platform supporting the stack of sheet material can be positioned near the upper end of the sidewall, i.e., at approximately the same height.

[0020] The biasing device used to push the platform toward the lid can be a spring, especially a coil spring.

[0021] The first arm may have a flat shape so as not to protrude toward the interior of the dispenser, so as not to interfere with the stacking of sheet material and / or the platform. The first arm may be translatably and / or rotatably movable relative to the sidewall to which the first arm is attached. The first arm may extend along the entire length of the sidewall from the top of the body toward the base of the body, or along the main portion of the length of the sidewall from the top of the body toward the base of the body. The first arm may be positioned at any of the four sidewalls. The apex is the end of the arm positioned closer to the opening of the body than the other end of the first arm that serves as the base end.

[0022] The second arm may have a flat shape so as not to protrude toward the interior of the dispenser. The second arm may be translationally and / or rotatably movable relative to the base of the body. The second arm extends toward the center of the base from the sidewall to which the first arm is attached. In this context, extending toward the center of the base may mean that the overall direction of extension of the second arm is parallel to the base and substantially perpendicular to the sidewall to which the first arm is attached. Furthermore, in this context, the center of the base may mean the center point of the base, but may also mean the central region or central area of ​​the base surrounding the center point of the base. The sidewall end of the second arm is the end of the second arm that is closer to the sidewall to which the first arm is attached than the other end of the second arm that serves as the locking end. In particular, the second arm may be positioned below the platform and above the base, i.e., between the platform and the base.

[0023] As discussed above, the sidewall end of the second arm is configured to mate with the base end of the first arm.

[0024] However, the sidewall end and the base end need not be coupled to or connected to each other. In this case, the movement of the first arm is caused by the contact between the base end of the first arm and the sidewall end of the second arm.

[0025] The locking part located on the platform can be hook-shaped, specifically a semi-arrowhead shape forming a snap-hook design. In this case, the locking end of the second arm can be designed to engage with the snap-hook, thereby interlocking with the locking part of the platform. For example, when the platform moves downward toward the base, the locking part can approach and contact the locking end of the second arm. Then, the snap-hook design of the locking part can interlock with the locking end of the second arm. To release the interlock, the second arm can move so that the locking end of the second arm disengages from the locking part of the platform.

[0026] The engagement portion on the lower surface of the lid is configured to engage with the tip of the first arm when the lid is closed, thereby releasing the platform from the locked position. For example, the engagement portion may protrude from the lower surface of the lid to engage with the tip of the first arm when the lid is closed. In another example, the engagement portion may be the lower wall portion of the lid. In this case, the tip of the first arm may protrude upward from the side wall to which the first arm is attached. Then, when the lid is closed, the lower wall portion of the lid constituting the engagement portion may contact the tip of the first arm, thereby causing movement of the first arm. For example, the movement of the first arm may be a downward translational movement by pushing the engagement portion against the tip of the first arm. The movement of the first arm may then cause the movement of the second arm by the engagement of the side wall end of the second arm with the base end of the first arm. The locking end of the second arm may then disengage from the locking portion of the platform, thereby releasing the platform from the locked position. Thus, a releasable locking mechanism is established using this configuration.

[0027] As an example, a dispenser as discussed herein may have the following dimensions: the dispenser may have a height of 170 mm, a width of 200 mm, and a depth of 141 mm. The height may include feet on which the dispenser can rest. It should be understood that, due to measurement tolerances, the dispenser may also have dimensions slightly smaller or slightly larger than those described above.

[0028] The sheet material discussed in this article can be a napkin. A single sheet material can be a single napkin. As an example, a single napkin can have the following nominal dimensions: When folded into a stack of sheet materials (a stack of napkins), a single napkin in the folded state can have a width of 165 mm and a length of 108 mm, or alternatively, a width of 161 mm and a length of 105 mm. When unfolded, in the case of a 1 / 2 fold, a single napkin can have a width of 165 mm and a length of 216 mm, or alternatively, a width of 161 mm and a length of 210 mm. Furthermore, in the case of a 1 / 4 fold, a single napkin can have a width of 330 mm and a length of 216 mm. The above width dimensions of a single napkin can vary between 3 mm and 5 mm. The above length dimensions of a single napkin can have smaller variations than the variations in width dimensions.

[0029] The locking mechanism can be located on the underside of the platform.

[0030] The lower side of the platform can be the side opposite to the side on which the sheet material is stacked.

[0031] With this structure, since the locking part is located on the underside of the platform, the locking mechanism does not interfere with the stacking of sheet materials.

[0032] The biasing device may be a spring disposed between the central region of the base and the central region of the platform, and the locking part of the platform may be positioned closer to the central region of the platform than the edge of the platform. Optionally, the locking part may be positioned in the central region of the platform.

[0033] The spring can be a helical spring. Thus, the spring can have a cylindrical shape or a truncated conical shape, wherein the diameter of the helical spring at the end facing the base can be smaller than the diameter of the helical spring at the end facing the plateau.

[0034] The spring can be attached to both the base and the platform. For this purpose, both the base and the platform can be provided with attachments, such as hooks or the like.

[0035] The central region of the base and the central region of the platform can be understood as the central part of the corresponding component, that is, the middle part of the corresponding component excluding its edges. For example, the platform and the base may have a generally rectangular shape. In this case, the central region of the platform and the base can be understood as a region surrounding the center point of the rectangular base and the platform. In particular, when the spring is a helical spring, the central region can be understood as a part of the corresponding component where the helical spring is arranged. In this case, the central region may have the same extension range as the shape and diameter of the helical spring.

[0036] Considering the example of a helical spring, the feature that the locking part of the platform can be positioned closer to the central region of the platform than the edge of the platform can mean that the locking part of the platform is positioned closer to the helical spring than the edge of the platform.

[0037] With this configuration, the locking connection between the locking end of the second arm and the locking part of the platform is established near the central region of the platform. Because the locking connection between the locking end of the second arm and the locking part of the platform is not established at the platform's edges, the platform can remain in the locked position in a horizontal orientation. Therefore, when the locking mechanism is released, the stack of sheet material is pushed vertically toward the dispensing opening, thereby making it easy to extract individual sheet materials.

[0038] With the locking mechanism positioned in the central area of ​​the platform, the platform's horizontal orientation is further ensured. However, in this case, the second arm may need to be positioned below the spring to avoid interfering with it, resulting in a higher overall design for the distributor.

[0039] The joint may protrude from the lower surface of the cover. Optionally, the joint may have a length of 1 / 20 to 1 / 5, preferably 1 / 15 to 1 / 6, more preferably 1 / 12 to 1 / 8, and most preferably 1 / 10 of the length of the first arm.

[0040] This can be advantageous when the tip of the first arm does not protrude from the side wall, for example, to prevent unintentional release of the locking mechanism when the dispenser is loaded with sheet material. In this case, providing the engagement portion as if it protrudes from the lower surface of the lid to engage with the tip of the first arm when the lid is closed allows the first arm to be designed not to protrude from the side wall to which it is attached.

[0041] By providing a joint with a length of 1 / 20 to 1 / 5, preferably 1 / 15 to 1 / 6, more preferably 1 / 12 to 1 / 8, and most preferably 1 / 10 of the length of the first arm, this joint can be provided with a short length. This has the advantage that when the lid is closed, when the lid is in the almost closed position, the short joint only contacts the tip of the first arm, thereby releasing the locking mechanism. Therefore, the platform is only pushed upward toward the dispensing opening when the lid is in the almost closed position. Thus, with this configuration, the user will not suffer any danger due to the sudden movement of the platform, as this danger might occur when the locking mechanism is released when the lid is in the half-open position. The narrower the above range, the better the above advantages are achieved. If the joint is too short, the locking mechanism may no longer be reliably released.

[0042] The body may have a box shape with two long sidewalls and two short sidewalls that are opposite each other, wherein a lid may be attached to one of the short sidewalls and a first arm may be disposed on the other of the short sidewalls.

[0043] For example, the base of the body can be rectangular or roughly rectangular in shape. In this case, the body can be cuboid in shape.

[0044] When the lid is attached to one of the short sidewalls and the first arm is disposed on the other of the short sidewalls, the joint of the lid can be arranged at the portion of the lid opposite to the portion of the lid attached to the sidewall.

[0045] This design allows the user to easily handle stacks of sheet material when loading the dispenser, as the lid opens and closes across the short sidewalls, and pushes the stacks down into the dispenser without disturbing the lid. Furthermore, some dispensers feature double-walled sidewalls with space for advertising sheets or the like. Preferably, the longer sidewall is double-walled to provide more space for the advertising sheet. By attaching the lid to one of the short sidewalls, the user can easily access the double-walled sidewall of the longer sidewall to place or remove the advertising sheet.

[0046] The first arm can be rotatably attached to the sidewall about a first axis of rotation, and the second arm can be rotatably attached to the base about a second axis of rotation.

[0047] For example, the first and second arms can be rotatably attached by means of pins or the like. In this case, the first and second axes of rotation can pass through the corresponding pins. In particular, the first and second axes of rotation can be perpendicular to each other.

[0048] Using this configuration, the first and second arms perform rotational movements instead of translational movements. Therefore, compared to translational movements, the first and second arms require less space to perform movements in their extension directions for releasing the locking mechanism.

[0049] At least one of the first and second arms can be rotatably attached to a spring-loaded mechanism, wherein the spring-loaded mechanism can be configured such that, when the platform is in the locked position and / or when the lid is closed, at least one of the first and second arms rotates about a first or second rotation axis, respectively, against the biasing force of the spring-loaded mechanism.

[0050] The spring-loaded mechanism can be provided by means of a leg spring, a torsion spring, or the like. Only one of the first and second arms can be rotatably attached to the spring-loaded mechanism. However, both the first and second arms can also be rotatably attached to the spring-loaded mechanism.

[0051] For example, when the second arm has a spring-loaded mechanism and the platform's locking part has a latch hook design, when the platform is pushed towards the base of the main body, the latch hook of the locking part contacts the locking end of the second arm, causing the second arm to rotate around the second rotation axis against the biasing force of the spring-loaded mechanism of the second arm. When the platform completes its downward movement, i.e., when the platform is at its lowest position, the second arm can rotate in the opposite direction, pushed by the spring-loaded mechanism in the second arm, thereby locking the latch hook. To release the latch hook lock, the cover is closed, allowing the engagement part to engage with the top of the first arm, thus enabling the first arm to rotate. This rotational movement is transmitted to the second arm via the engagement between the base of the first arm and the sidewall end of the second arm. At this time, the second arm undergoes rotational movement against the biasing force of the spring-loaded mechanism, thereby disengaging from the latch hook of the platform's locking part. Using this, the platform is released and pushed upward toward the dispensing opening by the biasing device.

[0052] Since the base end of the first arm and the side wall end of the second arm are configured to mate with each other, it is possible that only one spring-loaded mechanism is necessary, whether in the first arm or the second arm.

[0053] Using this construction, it is possible to provide a simple design for a releasable locking mechanism, in which the components of the locking mechanism always return to their initial positions by means of the biasing force of the spring-loaded mechanism, thereby enabling repeated locking and unlocking of the locking mechanism.

[0054] The joint may have an oblique surface that matches the corresponding oblique surface provided on the top of the first arm.

[0055] For example, the inclined surface may be at an angle relative to the base of the body, having an angle of approximately 45°. In particular, the surface normal of the inclined surface of the joint may point in the opposite direction to the surface normal of the corresponding inclined surface provided at the top of the first end.

[0056] With this configuration, when the cover is closed and the engagement portion engages with the tip of the first arm, the engagement portion causes the first arm to perform a rotational movement due to the arrangement of the beveled surface. Therefore, it is possible to provide a simple method for pushing the first arm with rotational movement and thus pushing the second arm.

[0057] The dispenser may have a spring-loaded latch for releasably locking the lid to the body.

[0058] The spring-loaded mechanism for the spring-loaded latch can be composed of a leg spring, a torsion spring, or the like. The spring-loaded latch can be mounted on the cover or on one of the side walls of the body.

[0059] Using this construction, it is possible to provide a simple mechanism that keeps the dispenser in the closed state.

[0060] The first arm may be arranged along the central axis of one of the sidewalls, which extends in a direction from top to base and divides one of the sidewalls into two halves, and the second arm may be arranged along the central axis of the base, which extends in a direction from the sidewall on which the first arm is arranged toward the opposite sidewall and divides the base into two halves.

[0061] For example, when the body has a box shape or a cuboid shape, the central axis of one of the sidewalls and the central axis of the base can correspond to the vertical bisector of one of the sidewalls and the vertical bisector of the base, respectively.

[0062] It should be understood that this construction not only means that the central axis divides one or the base of the sidewall into two completely equal parts, but also that the first arm and the second arm are arranged along the corresponding central axis, rather than dividing the corresponding parts into two completely equal parts, but into two approximately equal halves.

[0063] This configuration makes it possible to provide a locking mechanism with the minimum possible length of the first and second arms, thereby saving material costs. Furthermore, it is possible to arrange the locking mechanism such that the locking connection between the locking end of the second arm and the locking portion of the platform is positioned centrally relative to the platform. Therefore, when the locking mechanism is released, the stack of platform and sheet material is pushed upwards towards the dispensing opening in both the horizontal and vertical directions.

[0064] The dispenser may include a first pair of first arms, a second pair of second arms, a pair of engagement parts, and a pair of locking parts.

[0065] In this configuration, each of the first pair of first arms may be the same as or have the same construction as the first arm described above. Similarly, each of the second pair of second arms may be the same as or have the same construction as the second arm described above. Similarly, each of the pair of engaging portions may be the same as or have the same construction as the engaging portion described above. Similarly, each of the pair of locking portions may be the same as or have the same construction as the locking portion described above.

[0066] Specifically, the first pair of first arms may have a mirror-symmetric structure, the second pair of second arms may have a mirror-symmetric structure, the joint may have a mirror-symmetric structure, and the locking part may have a mirror-symmetric structure.

[0067] For example, one of the joints can engage with one of the first arms, one of the first arms can engage with one of the second arms, and one of the second arms can engage with one of the locking parts. Similarly, another of the joints can engage with another of the first arms, another of the first arms can engage with another of the second arms, and another of the second arms can engage with another of the locking parts.

[0068] Using this construction, although it leads to a more complex design of the dispenser, by providing not only one of the aforementioned components but also a pair of the aforementioned components, the dispenser platform can be more reliably held in the locked position in the horizontal orientation, thereby enabling the platform and the stack of sheet material to be pushed more reliably in the vertical orientation toward the dispensing opening, and thus making it easier to extract individual sheet materials.

[0069] Having such an arrangement is not obviously derived by those skilled in the art, because providing such a pair of components would at first glance result in a more complex system and require a more precise fit between the components involved.

[0070] The locking part of the platform can be arranged symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis or the transverse axis of the platform, wherein the first pair of first arms can be arranged symmetrically with respect to the central axis of one of the sidewalls, the central axis of one of the sidewalls extending in the direction from the top to the base and dividing one of the sidewalls into two halves, wherein the second pair of second arms can be arranged symmetrically with respect to the central axis of the base, the central axis of the base extending in the direction from the sidewall where the first pair of first arms are arranged toward the opposite sidewall and dividing the base into two halves.

[0071] In the case of a rectangular platform, the longitudinal axis can be the long axis of the platform and the transverse axis can be the short axis. In the case of a square platform, one of the perpendicular bisectors of the square platform can be the longitudinal axis and the other can be the transverse axis. Both the longitudinal and transverse axes can divide the platform into two halves, as is the case with the central axis.

[0072] The “central axis” can be as described above.

[0073] "Symmetrically arranged" relative to the corresponding axis can mean that the corresponding parts have the same distance from the axis. However, this does not necessarily mean that the corresponding parts need to be mirror symmetrical.

[0074] However, in particular, the locking part of the platform can be mirror-symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis or the transverse axis of the platform, the first pair of first arms can be mirror-symmetrical with respect to the central axis of one of the sidewalls, and the second pair of second arms can be mirror-symmetrical with respect to the central axis of the base.

[0075] For example, in a body having a box shape in which two long sidewalls and two short sidewalls are respectively opposite to each other, the first pair of first arms can be arranged at one of the short sidewalls or at one of the long sidewalls.

[0076] With this construction, since the components constituting the locking mechanism are arranged symmetrically with respect to the corresponding axis, the dispenser platform can be held in the locked position in the horizontal orientation with particular reliability, thereby enabling the stack of platform and sheet material to be pushed toward the dispensing opening in the vertical orientation with particular reliability, and thus enabling the easy extraction of individual sheets.

[0077] Having this arrangement is not obviously deriveable to those skilled in the art, because the arrangement of the corresponding components constituting the locking mechanism symmetrically with respect to the corresponding axis initially appears to result in a more precise alignment and construction of the components involved.

[0078] Further aspects of this disclosure can be found in the following description of specific embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0079] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the desktop allocator.

[0080] Figure 2 It has an openable lid. Figure 1 A perspective view of the desktop distributor, where the platform is omitted.

[0081] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A perspective view of a desktop dispenser, omitting the base, sidewalls, offset mechanism, and cover.

[0082] Figure 4 It is along Figure 1 The perspective cross-sectional view of line AA in the figure, in which the cover, platform and offset device are omitted.

[0083] Figure 5 It is along Figure 1 The cross-sectional view of line BB in the figure, where the cover and biasing device are omitted.

[0084] Figure 6 It is along Figure 1 The cross-sectional view of line CC in the figure, where the platform and biasing device are omitted. Detailed Implementation

[0085] In the following, embodiments according to the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in order to illustrate the present disclosure using illustrative examples. Further modifications to certain individual features described in this context may be combined with other features of the described embodiments to form further embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0086] In all the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals are used for similar elements.

[0087] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a desktop dispenser. The desktop dispenser includes a body 1 with four sidewalls 2, 3, 4, and 5 (sidewall 4 is the sidewall opposite to sidewall 2, and sidewall 5 is the sidewall opposite to sidewall 3). The desktop dispenser further includes a base 6 and a cover 8. The desktop dispenser of this embodiment has a box shape with two short sidewalls 2 and 3 and two long sidewalls 3 and 5. In this embodiment, the cover 8 is movably attached to the short sidewalls 4. The cover 8 has a dispensing opening 9 with a groove shape, wherein the two sections of the opening extending to the sides are grooved and the central portion of the opening has an elliptical shape. Furthermore, the desktop dispenser includes a spring-loaded latch 21.

[0088] In an alternative (not shown) embodiment, the cap 8 may be configured to be reversibly removable from and reversibly attachable to the body 1 of the dispenser. In this configuration, the cap 8 may be set aside to (re)fill the dispenser (open refill position) and placed back onto the body 1 to reach its closed use position.

[0089] Figure 2 It has an openable lid 8 Figure 1 A perspective view of the desktop dispenser, omitting the platform 10. The lid 8 is movably attached to the short sidewall 4 by means of a hinge, allowing the lid 8 to be opened across the short sidewall 4. When the lid 8 is fully opened, the opening 7 in the top of the body is easily accessible. In this embodiment, a coil spring is provided as a biasing device 11. Figure 2 The coil spring shown is in a relaxed state. Furthermore, the cover 8 has a pair of engagement portions 19 disposed on its lower surface. Each of the engagement portions 19 has an inclined surface 20.

[0090] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A perspective view of a desktop dispenser, omitting the base 6, sidewalls 3, cover 8, and biasing device 11. A first pair of first arms 12 are attached to sidewalls 2 (opposite to sidewalls 4). In this embodiment, the first pair of first arms 12 are rotatably attached to the sidewalls 2 by means of a pair of pins 22. Furthermore, as can be seen, the first arms 12 are mirror-symmetrical with respect to the central axis C of the sidewalls 2, wherein the central axis C extends in a direction from the base 6 of the body 1 toward the top of the body 1 and divides the sidewalls 2 into two halves (in...). Figure 5 (Shown in more detail below). Similarly, the second pair of second arms 15 are attached to the base 6 (base 6 is in... Figure 3 (Not shown in the image). The second pair of second arms 15 are rotatably attached to the base 6 by means of pins 23. Furthermore, as can be seen, the second arms 15 are mirror-symmetrical with respect to the central axis D of the base 6, wherein the central axis D extends in a direction from the side wall 2 toward the side wall 4 and divides the base 6 into two halves (in... Figure 6 (See in more detail below). In this embodiment, the second arm 15 is also mirror-symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis of the platform 10.

[0091] Each of the first arms 12 has a tip 13 and a base 14. The tip 13 has a beveled surface that matches the beveled surface 20 of the engagement portion 19. The base 14 is configured to mate with the sidewall end 16 of the second arm 15. Each of the second arms 15 has a sidewall end 16 configured to mate with the base end 14 of the first arm 12 and a locking end 17 configured to releasably interlock with a locking portion 18 arranged on the platform 10, thereby holding the platform 10 in a locked position, such as... Figure 3 As can be seen, in this embodiment, the locking part 18 has a snap-hook design. Furthermore, in this embodiment, each of the second pair of second arms 15 includes a spring-loaded mechanism.

[0092] In addition, such as Figure 3As can be seen, a hook 24 is provided on the lower side of the platform 10 for attaching the biasing device 11, which in this embodiment is a coil spring, as described above. In this case, the central region of the platform 10 corresponds to the region where the upper end of the coil spring is attached to the platform 10. Since the locking part 18 is positioned closer to the central region of the platform 10 than the edge portion and is arranged symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis of the platform 10, the platform 10 can be held in the locked position in a horizontal orientation, thereby achieving the aforementioned advantages. Specifically, when the locking mechanism is released, the platform 10 and the stack of sheet material placed thereon are pushed toward the dispensing opening 9 in an upright orientation, which makes it easy to grasp individual sheet materials.

[0093] Figure 3 and Figure 4 A releasable locking mechanism according to this disclosure is also shown. Figure 3 In the middle, platform 10 is in the locked position at its lowest position. To release the locking mechanism, cover 8 is brought to the closed position, whereby the beveled surface 20 of engagement 19 contacts the beveled surface located at the top end 13 of the first arm 12. As a result, each of the first arms 12 revolves around the first axis of rotation A passing through pin 22. Figure 4 (as shown in the diagram) rotation. In this embodiment, specifically, as seen in the direction toward the first arm 12, the left first arm 12 rotates counterclockwise, while the right first arm 12 rotates clockwise. Simultaneously, since the base end 14 of the first arm 12 is configured to engage with the sidewall end 16 of the second arm 15, each of the second arms 15 also undergoes rotation about a second axis of rotation B passing through the pin 23. Figure 4 The rotational movement is shown in the figure. In this embodiment, specifically, as seen from below, the left second arm 15, which engages with the left first arm 12, rotates counterclockwise, while the right second arm 15, which engages with the right first arm 12, rotates clockwise. By this movement, the locking end 17 of each of the second arms 15 disengages from each of the locking portions 18, thereby releasing the locking mechanism.

[0094] Figure 4 It is along Figure 1 The perspective cross-sectional view of line AA in the figure, where the cover 8, platform 10, and offset device 11 are omitted. (See figure) Figure 4 As can be seen, the first arm 12 is rotatably attached to the side wall 2 about a first rotation axis A. The second arm 15 is rotatably attached to the base 6 about a second rotation axis B. In this embodiment, the first rotation axis A is perpendicular to the second rotation axis B. Furthermore, the base 6 has a circular wall portion 25, which is configured to hold the biasing device 11 in the form of a helical spring in place. Thus, considering the above explanation regarding the central region, this portion of the base 6 can be considered as the central region of the base 6.

[0095] Figure 5 It is along Figure 1 The cross-sectional view of line BB in the figure, where the cover 8 and the biasing device 11 are omitted. Figure 5 As can be seen, the locking part 18 is arranged on the lower side of the platform 10. In addition, each of the second pair of second arms 15 is located below the platform 10, thereby not interfering with the stacking of the sheet material.

[0096] Figure 6 It is along Figure 1 The cross-sectional view of line CC in the figure, where platform 10 and biasing device 11 are omitted. Figure 6 The second pair of second arms 15 are shown in a mirror-symmetric configuration with respect to the central axis D of the base 6. Due to the symmetrical arrangement of the second arms 15 with respect to the central axis D, the platform 10 of the dispenser can be held in a locked position particularly reliably in the horizontal orientation, thereby enabling the platform 10 and the sheet material to be pushed toward the dispensing opening 9 more reliably in the vertical orientation, and thus, the individual sheet material can be easily extracted.

[0097] As a first step in loading the stack of sheet material, now described in the exemplary form of a napkin, into the dispenser, the aforementioned cover 8 is moved from the closed use position to the open refill position.

[0098] Then, the stack of napkins is placed through the opening 7 of the dispenser so that the bottom surface (tail end) of the stack of napkins is located on the platform 10 of the dispenser, wherein the platform 10 is reciprocating within the body 1 of the dispenser, as described above.

[0099] Subsequently, a force is applied to the top surface (first surface) of the stacked sheet material opposite to the bottom surface (tail surface), thereby pushing the platform 10 into the body 1 of the dispenser.

[0100] It may be particularly useful to fold at least partially at at least one edge of the first napkin before or after applying force to the top surface of the stack of sheet material and before or after placing the stack of napkins so that the bottom surface of the stack of napkins is on the supporting surface. As a result, a so-called starter fold is formed.

[0101] The initial fold makes it easy to grab the first end of the napkin as soon as the dispenser is refilled.

[0102] Above this, napkins are typically distributed in bundles (stacks of sheet material) comprising a predetermined number of sheets (e.g., napkins). In many cases, more than one bundle (stack of sheet material) is inserted into the dispenser during refilling. However, the sheet material is typically folded alternately within a bundle (stack of sheet material), with the tail end of the first bundle (first stack of sheet material) and the head end of the second bundle (second stack of sheet material) not folded alternately. As a result, once the tail end of the first bundle has been dispensed during use, the head end of the second bundle is not automatically pulled out partially through the dispensing opening and thus not easily grasped. Consequently, it is advantageous to also fold the head end of any bundle (stack of sheet material) inserted into the dispenser in the same manner as forming the initial fold described above.

[0103] Even without staggered folds at the “stack break” (also known as bundle break), i.e. the transition from one stack of sheet material to another, consistent and reliable use of the dispenser can be ensured by folding the napkin at least partially at at least one edge of the napkin at the beginning of each bundle, and the user will not face any napkins that are difficult to grasp.

[0104] Then, the lid 8 pivots again from the open refill position to the closed use position, so that the lid 8 is closed.

[0105] Finally, a portion of the first sheet material, namely the (partially folded) first napkin, is removed from the top surface of the napkin stack through the distribution opening 9 of the cover 8, thereby disposing of the first napkin.

[0106] Therefore, the stack of napkins can be successfully and easily loaded into the dispenser, and the dispenser is thus filled with napkins.

[0107] List of reference numerals

[0108] 1 body

[0109] 2 sidewalls

[0110] 3 sidewalls

[0111] 4 sidewalls

[0112] 5 sidewalls

[0113] 6 base

[0114] 7 openings

[0115] 8 lids

[0116] 9. Distribution openings

[0117] 10 platforms

[0118] 11 Bias Device

[0119] 12 First Arm

[0120] 13 Top

[0121] 14 Base

[0122] 15 Second Arm

[0123] 16 Sidewall End

[0124] 17 Locking End

[0125] 18 Locking section

[0126] 19 Joint

[0127] 20 (Joint) sloping surface

[0128] 21. Latch

[0129] 22 sales

[0130] 23 sales

[0131] 24 hooks

[0132] 25 (base) circular wall portion

[0133] A. Rotation axis of the first arm

[0134] The axis of rotation of the second arm B

[0135] Central axis of side wall C

[0136] The central axis of base D

[0137] L1 Length of the joint

[0138] L2 Length of the first arm

Claims

1. A dispenser for dispensing sheet material, comprising: The body (1) has four sidewalls (2, 3, 4, 5). Base (6) An opening (7) in the top of the body (1). A lid (8) for covering the opening (7) in use and allowing access to the opening (7) for refilling, wherein the lid (8) has a dispensing opening (9) for dispensing sheet material from the dispensing opening (9). A platform (10) for supporting multiple sheets of material from below, wherein the platform (10) is movable from a lowermost position when the dispenser is filled with sheet material to a uppermost position adjacent to the cover (8) when the dispenser is closer to emptying the sheet material. Biasing device (11) for pushing the platform (10) toward the cover (8). A releasable locking mechanism for holding the platform (10) in a locked position at the lowest position, the releasable locking mechanism comprising: A first arm (12) is movably attached to one of the sidewalls (2, 3, 4, 5) and extends in a direction from the top of the body (1) toward the base (6) of the body (1), wherein the first arm (12) has a top end (13) and a base end (14). A second arm (15), movably attached to the base (6) and extending in a direction toward the center of the base (6) from the sidewall to which the first arm (12) is attached, wherein the second arm (15) has a sidewall end (16) and a locking end (17), the sidewall end (16) being configured to engage with the base end (14) of the first arm (12) such that movement of the first arm (12) causes movement of the second arm (15), and the locking end (17) being configured to releasably interlock with a locking part (18) disposed on the platform (10), thereby holding the platform (10) in the locked position. The cover (8) has an engagement (19) on its lower surface, the engagement (19) being configured to engage with the top end (13) of the first arm (12) when the cover (8) is closed, thereby releasing the platform (10) from the locked position.

2. The dispenser according to claim 1, The locking part (18) is arranged on the lower side of the platform (10).

3. The dispenser according to claim 1 or 2, The biasing device (11) is a spring attached between the central region of the base (6) and the central region of the platform (10), and the locking part (18) of the platform (10) is positioned closer to the central region of the platform (10) than the edge of the platform (10), optionally, the locking part (18) is positioned in the central region of the platform (10).

4. The dispenser according to claim 1 or 2, The engagement portion (19) protrudes from the lower surface of the cover (8), wherein the engagement portion (19) has a length (L1) of 1 / 20 to 1 / 5 of the length (L2) of the first arm (12).

5. The dispenser according to claim 4, The joint (19) therein has a length (L1) that is 1 / 15 to 1 / 6 of the length (L2) of the first arm (12).

6. The dispenser according to claim 4, The joint (19) therein has a length (L1) that is 1 / 12 to 1 / 8 of the length (L2) of the first arm (12).

7. The dispenser according to claim 4, The joint (19) therein has a length (L1) that is 1 / 10 of the length (L2) of the first arm (12).

8. The dispenser according to claim 1 or 2, The body (1) has a box shape with two long sidewalls (3, 5) and two short sidewalls (2, 4) that are opposite each other, wherein the lid (8) is attached to one of the short sidewalls (2, 4) and the first arm (12) is disposed on the other of the short sidewalls (2, 4).

9. The dispenser according to claim 1 or 2, The first arm (12) is rotatably attached to the sidewall about a first axis of rotation (A), and the second arm (15) is rotatably attached to the base (6) about a second axis of rotation (B).

10. The dispenser according to claim 9, At least one of the first arm and the second arm (12, 15) is rotatably attached to a spring-loaded mechanism, wherein the spring-loaded mechanism is configured such that, when the platform (10) is in the locked position and / or when the cover (8) is closed, at least one of the first arm and the second arm (12, 15) rotates about the first rotation axis (A) or the second rotation axis (B) respectively against the biasing force of the spring-loaded mechanism.

11. The dispenser according to claim 9, The joint (19) has an oblique surface (20) that matches the corresponding oblique surface disposed on the top end (13) of the first arm (12).

12. The dispenser according to claim 1 or 2, The dispenser has a spring-loaded latch (21) for releasably locking the cover (8) to the body (1).

13. The dispenser according to claim 1 or 2, The first arm (12) is arranged along the central axis (C) of one of the sidewalls (2, 3, 4, 5), the central axis (C) of which extends in a direction from the top to the base (6) and divides the sidewall (2, 3, 4, 5) into two halves. The second arm (15) is arranged along the central axis (D) of the base (6), which extends in a direction from the side wall on which the first arm (12) is arranged toward the opposite side wall and divides the base (6) into two halves.

14. The dispenser according to any one of claims 1 or 2, comprising: First pair of first arms (12). Second pair of second arms (15) A pair of joints (19). A pair of locking parts (18).

15. The dispenser according to claim 14, The locking part (18) of the platform (10) is arranged symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis or the transverse axis of the platform (10). The first pair of first arms (12) are arranged symmetrically with respect to the central axis (C) of one of the sidewalls (2, 3, 4, 5), the central axis (C) of which extends in a direction from the top to the base (6) and divides the sidewall (2, 3, 4, 5) into two halves. The second pair of second arms (15) are arranged symmetrically with respect to the central axis (D) of the base (6), which extends in a direction from the sidewall on which the first pair of first arms (12) are arranged toward the opposite sidewall and divides the base (6) into two halves.

16. The dispenser according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cover (8) is movably attached via a hinge to at least one of the sidewalls (2, 3, 4, 5) of the body (1).

17. The dispenser according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cover (8) is configured to be reversibly removable from and reversibly attachable to the body (1).

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